The head of the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research (EAER) will meet most probably with members of government including the president of Azerbaijan and the prime ministers of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and the Kyrgyz Republic, as well as ministers of economic affairs, investment, finance and trade, and local authority representatives. Meetings are also scheduled to take place with associations and representatives from the private sector and with the local Swiss business community including round tables and economic forums in various capital cities. Two declarations of intent with Kazakhstan on the future conclusion of two agreements, one on the recognition of precious metal hallmarking, and a second on the field of services (domestic regulation in trade in services) are expected to be signed.

The Swiss delegation will visit several economic zones offering facilities to foreign companies with the aim of attracting investment. The projects pursued in the context of the Belt and Road Initiative are aimed at developing transport and energy infrastructure, offering interesting opportunities to Swiss industry, such as in the field of rail transport. In Kazakhstan, the delegation will stop in Aktau, a town on the shores of the Caspian Sea destined to become a key point on the east-west transport routes of the Belt and Road Initiative. There the delegation will visit the port facilities and special economic zone. In Astana, the governor of the new international financial centre (AIFC) will give a presentation on the future role that Kazakhstan intends to play in the region’s financial sector.

Mr Schneider-Ammann’s presence in the region will be used as an opportunity to inaugurate new Swiss investment projects in the chemical industry in Azerbaijan and in the textile industry in Uzbekistan.

The mission will also allow the head of the EAER to see a selection of Swiss development cooperation projects at first hand, particularly in Uzbekistan and the Kyrgyz Republic. The projects cover different fields (support for the financial sector, trade promotion, infrastructure financing, particularly water supply in collaboration with the World Bank, and vocational education). In Bishkek, there will be an opportunity to meet with Swiss cooperation partners.

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In the context of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, aimed at developing the old Silk Road along land-based and maritime corridors, Azerbaijan and Central Asia are gaining in importance and enjoying increased interest among economic actors. The region, which is rich in natural resources, is pursuing important economic development projects, particularly in terms of infrastructure, necessitating cooperation with foreign partners. Ambitious reform programmes have been put in place with a view to diversifying and liberalising the economy. At the end of 2017, Uzbekistan introduced a key measure by liberalising its foreign exchange policy.

Since the countries of Central Asia gained independence at the beginning of the 1990s, Switzerland has maintained close ties due to their membership of the same constituency in the Bretton Woods international financial institutions, an important aspect of these relations. One of the aims of Federal Councillor Johann N. Schneider-Ammann’s visit is to facilitate private sector access to these markets, which remains difficult despite various reforms, and to encourage synergies between Switzerland’s various areas of intervention in Central Asia.

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Economic exchanges with the countries visited are not yet well developed, even though certain figures, particularly on imports, are high due to trade in precious metals (Uzbekistan, Kyrgyz Republic) and petroleum products (Kazakhstan). Kazakhstan is Switzerland’s main market in the region followed by Uzbekistan. Despite the presence of a number of businesses, Swiss investment, on which the SNB does not publish data, is still relatively modest, except for Kazakhstan. Investment on the part of these countries in Switzerland is very modest, with the exception of Azerbaijan which occupies first place following the acquisition of the Swiss subsidiary of ExxonMobil by the national oil company Socar in 2012.

Address for enquiries

Irène Harnischberg,
Spokeperson EAER
058 462 20 34,
irene.harnischberg@gs-wbf.admin.ch

Publisher

Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research
http://www.wbf.admin.ch

Chairperson Shaikova stressed the high importance of the Centre: “During the electoral cycle between 2015 to 2017 about 13,000 SRS/CEC experts have been trained on a smooth organization of elections, use of ICT equipment, appropriate delivery of information, effective electoral disputes resolution mechanisms for successful election campaigns. Therefore, the need for having such training centre is still urgent, as skills and knowledge should be updated regularly to be in shorthand with new technologies and innovations”.

Citizens want transparent, effective and accountable governments, with institutions that empower people and are responsive to their aspirations. The SRS, with the support of the UNDP, the Government of Switzerland and the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek, has addressed this need by introducing these novelty technologies, which demanded a new set of knowledge and skills of SRS staff. Eventually, this cooperative work has led to an opening of the Capacity Development Centre.

“Knowledge and innovation are inseparable from each other - they drive societies and economies around the world. I believe this Capacity Development Centre will become a knowledge hub for the SRS staff, who is working towards building strong institutions and democratic society in the Kyrgyz Republic. UNDP promotes innovation, capacity development, and empowerment through sustainable approaches which we can share with our partners to bring the technologies and innovations for the benefit of people”, said Dr. Ozonnia Ojielo, UN Resident Coordinator/ UNDP Resident Representative in the Kyrgyz Republic.

“Change is the driver of progress and today the SRS demonstrates that change is already taking place in the public services industry in Kyrgyzstan, and the OSCE is proud to be a part of it,” said Ambassador Chiveri, Deputy Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek. Indeed, the Centre will play a significant role in maintaining and upgrading the SRS’s knowledge for improving the provision of public services and heightening inter-organizational communication.

The SRS Capacity Development Centre was an important part of the Kyrgyz Election Support Project 2 (KESP2), which was implemented by UNDP and financed by the Governments of Switzerland and Denmark. The project aimed to support the SRS and CEC in organising free, competitive, and peaceful elections throughout the Kyrgyz Republic. To achieve this goal, the SRS and CEC officials need to be well trained and to have access to modern and safe technology.